Shoe binding



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S. M. KESSLER Aug., l, 19%

SHOE BINDING Filed June 8.` 1952 INVENTOR um ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE- 1 Claim.

My invention relates to a new form of binding for application to the edges of shoe uppers, designed to prevent the edge from tearing or being otherwise injured during wear of the shoe.

The practice at present generally followed in binding the edges of shoe uppers consists in first adhesively applying a strip of tape to the edge, then positioning and folding the binding proper over the tape with the edges of the binding overlapping and projecting beyond the tape and finally stitching the binding along its edge to the lmaterial of the shoe.

This practice is fairly irksome, time consuming and relatively costly. Owing to the use of adhesive, Whether the tape be applied by hand or my machine, soiling of the shoe can only be avoided with difficulty and as a consequence either great care must be taken to prevent soiling, of if soiling cannot be avoided the shoe must be cleaned to render it fit for sale. In either contingency, there is an expenditure of time and labor and. a resulting expense in manufacture.

If the tape be applied by machines the latter occupy valuable space, and if the application be Vby hand skilled operators, who can work but relatively slowly owing to the careful manipulation required, are needed. While the application of a tape to a shoe edge appears to be a very simple matter, it is found in practice that very substantial skill and care are essential in order that the binding may be uniform and sightly throughout.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a form of binding which obviates the defects and disadvantages attendant on the use of the binding now employed, which may be economically produced and applied by comparatively unskilled Workers and which will be of decidedly improved appearance as compared with existing bindings.

I accomplish this object by constructing the tape, or rather the strip which fullls the function of the tape, and the binding proper as a unit, the parts being so secured together that application of the assembly to the shoe edge may be effected quickly and easily.

The preferred form of my invention is illus- -tratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bly in which the tape strip is woven integrally l with the binder proper, and Fig. 5 is an elevational vieW of the binding shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 10 denotes a low shoe of any customary form or style to the edge of the upper of which my improved binding, designated as a whole by the numeral 11, is applied.Y

The binding comprises the binder strip 12 which may be of silk, linen, cotton or any other desired material, and the tape 13 which may be of the same material as the binder strip 12 although the tape 13 may be and preferably will be of less expensive material than the strip 12. The binder strip v12 and tape 13 may be united together by any suitable means but it is preferred that they be Woven together in one weaving operation as will clearly appear from the fragments of binding illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The binding is desirably applied to the shoe as followst-The binding assembly is positioned with its outer surface 12a against the outer surface 11a of the shoe, the upper edge of the assembly being slightly below the upper edge of the shoe. The parts being thus positioned, a line ofl stitching 14 is formed, by hand or machine as may be desired, to initially attach the binder assemblyto the shoe. The assembly is then folded over the shoe edge, inwardly, so that the tape 13 lies against the inner surface of the shoe with its upper edge about in line with the upper shoe edge and the binder 12 completely overlies and covers the tape with the edge 12b of the binder depending on the inside of the shoe next to the material thereof and on the inside of the shoe lining 15. The assembled binder, as a whole, may then be secured in position by cement applied at 16 between the inner surface of the shoe and the inner faces of the tape and binder. A line of stitching 17 passes through the lining 15 near its upper edge, and through the tape 13, the portion of the binder 12 onthe inside of the shoe, the

material of the shoe and the. portion of the binder 12 on the outer surface of the shoe.

It will be noted that the tape 13 is of ls width than the binder 12 and joins the latter at a line intermediate its longitudinal edges, although the line of jointure is nearer one longitudinal edge of the binder than the other. This arrangement, combined with the integrality of the two members, assures an automatic correct positioning of the tape when the binding, as a whole, is applied to a shoe. Furthermore, as the tape and binding are an integral entity, a better and stronger product is obtained inasmuch as the parts cannot separate as frequently happens with the metho heretofore employed. Y

I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a binding for the top edges of shoe uppers, said binding comprising an uninterrupted binding strip having an edge thereof attached near the top edge of the shoe upper on one side of the latter with a part of the binding strip overlying said top edge and another part depending on the other side of y the binding'strip.

SAMUEL M. KW79LER. 

